Are you hereafter making a search My dog ate a balloon, what to do now? If yes, then you must be anxious, worried and in hurry.
Calm down and know that you have landed in the right place where we will guide you on the same. Now let us get started-
So, Are balloons bad for dogs? Yes, balloons are indeed bad for your dog as balloons are usually made up of foil and rubber and they can choke your dog’s throat or may cause a blockage between the esophagus to the intestinal tract. Although it is not poisonous, you still should keep your dog away from it.
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Why do dogs eat balloons?
Well, it is a very normal thing for a dog to eat or bite random things. Although once they develop a sense, they bite things and throw them immediately.
If your dog ate sticks, plastic products, rubber, or such things for the first time, it is very natural.
However, you should still be cautious about it. But if you see them keep doing it, then it could be a symptom of severe issues such as pica.
Pica is a health condition where your dog keeps eating products that are not meant for eating. It is more related to a psychological issue and your dog should be properly diagnosed for the same.
What to do if your dog ate a balloon?
If your dog just ate the balloon, then there are a few things that you should be doing immediately. Let us take a look at them-
1) First, call your veterinarian
If you are lucky enough to catch your dog eating a balloon, the very first thing to do is to give an urgent call to your pet’s veterinarian. Explain the whole scenario to him and he/she will guide you on what to do next.
Ensure that you give him a call as soon as you find him eating the balloon as the sooner, you’re, the better it is for your dog’s health. If it more than two hours, then the balloon will already be in your dog’s intestine and that could cause some serious issues.
2) See if there are any side effects
If your dog really ate a balloon, then there will surely be intestinal discomfort happening to your dog.
It could be either vomiting or abdominal pain. Your dog may look tired and constipated or may start drooling as well.
If you aren’t sure whether he ate a balloon or not and you see these signs, then this will assure that your dog actually ate a balloon.
3) Pass it through
If your dog seems to be normal, then there are chances that the balloon can pass through the digestive system of your dog.
However, you need to ensure that your dog is doing well and isn’t feeling any type of uneasiness. Keep an eye on their stool and if it looks loose, make sure you give your dog plenty of water to keep him hydrated throughout.
It has been proven that if your dog drinks enough water, it will aid him in digesting the balloon easier.
Although we don’t recommend you try this method over others, if you have already consulted your vet and your dog’s health looks good, then you surely can try this out.
4) Try to get him to vomit
It is always advisable to get your dog to vomit whenever he eats something unusual. It should be done quickly before it gets into your dog’s intestines.
However, we would still recommend you to consult with your vet first as if your dog is not responsive enough to vomit or has some underlying health issues, vomiting is not the right solution.
What to do if your dog already digested the balloon?
Now if it has been more than 2 hours already, then the balloon would have passed through the stomach and is into the intestines already. And at this stage, you need to look for the signs which are-
- Drooling– Drooling is a sign of intoxication and it will start as soon as they eat the balloon and if it is stuck in their esophagus. Check if they are drooling.
- Vomiting– Vomiting is a common sign that happens within a few hours of ingestion. But if your dog is vomiting, then do not worry as they may expel the balloon. Keep an eye on what they vomit. However, if they vomit too late, or if there’s no balloon while they vomit, it could be a serious issue.
- Lethargy– If your dog is too active and they start being lethargic, your dog’s health is not 100% sure. There must be an issue such as anemia, infection, or muscle soreness. Even though there’s no other sign but your dog is getting lazier day by day, it is a sign for sure.
- Lack of appetite – if there’s something stuck in your dog’s intestine, he/she would surely not feel good and thus, they will have a lack of appetite. See if your dog is eating or not and if he is, then compare his diet to what he used to eat.
- Abdominal pain– Abdominal pain happens when there’s some discomfort happening in your dog’s intestines. You can watch out for the symptoms given above to know if your dog is feeling pain or not. If yes, then it is a sign of infection and a serious condition that needs medical examination.
Note– The signs may differ from dog to dog and at times, your dog may have no such symptoms and look fine. If that is the case, do not worry much but keep keeping an eye on them and take them to the vet even if they show such symptoms weeks later.
Will my dog poop out a balloon?
If your dog has swallowed a balloon and passed it through a poop, it is a good sign.
However, chances are bright that he/she may have pooped a piece of it instead of the whole balloon.
In that case, keep an eye and see if he poops the whole balloon or not. If not, take him to a vet.
Your dog will take around 10-24 hours to digest what they eat and if you want to speed up the process, you can feed them wheat bran and pumpkin too.
How to stop your dog from eating balloons?
As a pet parent, you are responsible to take care of your furry baby. However, it is impossible to keep an eye on his activity 24*7.
Thus, what you can do is to keep plastic, rubber, and such products away from his approach and teach him what to eat and whatnot.
You can try giving them some treats whenever they obey your instructions.
Wrapping up,
Dog eating balloons and other such stuff is a common problem that any pet parent may go through.
However, if you have read and followed the steps we have provided, your dog must be doing better than before.
Please comment and share what worked for you and how with your fellow pet parents.